When 70 Women in Rural Rajasthan Entered the World of Internet for the First Time

Several rural women in Rajasthan tried their hands at the internet for the first time. From reading up on issues like female foeticide and sex ratio, to learning new recipes and bird watching – these women explored a whole new world.

When several women in rural Rajasthan tried their hands at the the internet for the first time, hardly did they know the experience would open up so many gates of information.

From shocking facts about female foeticide to the reality of an uneven sex ratio, these women learnt not only of issues they had experienced themselves but also how their sisters across the country are fighting the same battles.

The two-day internet literacy session in Dholpur, Rajasthan, was organized by Google India in association with Tata Trust.

About 70 women, in the age group 18-25, gathered at the Mahila Parikshan Kendra and used tablets and smartphones to run searches about hundreds of things they wanted to know.

Picture for representation only.

While some researched serious issues like illiteracy and poor sex ratio, others found out more about the different government schemes and how they can use them. Some also looked for delicious recipes to impress their in-laws.

Then there were women like Munni who got a chance to pursue their passion. Munni, an avid bird watcher, browsed for information on the winged species – the search, she said, would help her identify different kind of birds in the city.

The 35 ‘best’ performers from the literacy session were assigned the task of training other women in the basics of the internet. For this purpose they were given internet cycle carts called ‘Internet Saathi.’ These carts are designed to provide internet access and are equipped with two smartphones and two tablets each.

The cycle carts have been provided for six months, after which they will be moved to another location.

Google India has partnered with local organizations in the city to monitor the progress of these women. The project aims to reach 4,500 villages and 5 lakh women in three states, including Gujarat, Rajasthan and Jharkhand, by the end of 2016.